NBA Odds, Picks & Predictions: Friday (1/16)
Even with only six games on the NBA schedule, there are still a few good betting opportunities on Friday night. Let's take a look at a few matchups to find the best edges on the board. Below, we share our top NBA picks & predictions.
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Friday’s Best NBA Picks & Predictions
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
Cleveland Cavaliers at Philadelphia 76ers
The big Eastern Conference matchup on Friday involves the Cavaliers and the 76ers squaring off in Philadelphia. These teams played on Wednesday to a 133-107 victory for Cleveland. The Cavaliers had a scorching night shooting, making 52.6% from the field, including 43.5% from deep on 46 attempts. It was an example of how deadly the Cavaliers can be when fully healthy.
A quick scour of the injury report for Thursday shows they won't be healthy again on Friday. Darius Garland, Dean Wade and Sam Merrill are all listed as out. Things don't look great for the 76ers either, who have Paul George and Joel Embiid listed as game-time decisions. With some stars potentially out, we could really see this game devolve into more of a rock fight.
Even at full health, we should expect to see a lower score. Cleveland was unsustainably hot despite the star power on the roster. They're 22-20 to the under on the season, including 6-4 to the under over the last 10 games. I'm banking on this number being too high with these teams being very familiar with each other, and I will play the under.
Pick: Under 235.5 Points (-110)
Minnesota Timberwolves at Houston Rockets
Playing on a back-to-back is a tough reality in the NBA. A back-to-back against two postseason contenders is brutal. That is the case for Houston, who take on the Timberwolves one night after hosting the defending champs. Things have not gone well recently after Thursday's loss and the previous six games coming as against the spread (ATS) losses despite some weak competition.
Minnesota has started to find its stride, going 15-6 straight up (SU) since the start of December. They've positioned themselves into the top four teams in the Western Conference, and they've done so with a balanced attack of offense and defense, which both rank in the top 10 of their respective metric ratings.
The Timberwolves have been an elite team in shooting and defending shots. They rank fourth in both effective field goal rate (eFG%) and opponent eFG%. With their size, they're also a really good rebounding team. They rank eighth in defensive rebounding rate, which helps to negate one of Houston's biggest advantages - the offensive boards.
To come off such a hard-fought game on Thursday against Oklahoma City, this is a really tough spot for the Rockets. Minnesota is not only a tough opponent, but they're also one of the hottest teams in the league. You can expect that hot streak to continue on Friday night on the road in Houston with a cover and maybe even an outright upset.
Pick: Timberwolves +3.5 (-110)